(PCM) Beyonce is making headlines again, but this time it is not for the best reasons. The global pop superstar is being criticized by NASA and others for her use of a clip that featured the Challenger space shuttle disaster in a new songs.
NASA claims that use of the clip trivializes the disaster and the tragedy of what happened with The Challenger back in 1986.
XO, is the the track on Beyonce’s new visual album that makes use of the six-second Challenger clip, which was taken from television footage as the shuttle exploded and fell to earth killing all seven crew members aboard. A Nasa public affairs official, is heard saying: “Flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, NASA had the following to say: “The Challenger accident is an important part of our history; a tragic reminder that space exploration is risky and should never be trivialised. Nasa works every day to honour the legacy of our fallen astronauts as we carry out our mission to reach for new heights and explore the universe.”
Beyonce has taken a defensive stance in regards to the standing behind the song claiming that the use of the clip was “in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten”.
The family and close relatives of those lost in the Challenger disaster were also not pleased by Beyonces’ use of the clip, as they say that the moment showcased in the clip is an incredibly difficult one for them to be forced to relive again and again.
XO, is the first radio single from Beyonce’s new album, so we are not even talking about a deep cut on the album. Initially the song penned by Terius Nash and Ryan Tedder was said to be about a broken relationship, so somehow we are not seeing that the use of the Challenger clip is a fitting comparison. Bad choice here, guys!